The Commander

Another reviewer said this started as a police drama and ended as a Harlequin romance. So true! It's hard to believe that Lynda LaPlante wrote this garbage. Although "Lynda LaPlante" does sound like the pen name of a sleazy romance writer....

LaPlante's Prime Suspect was one of our favorite series, and of course anything that Helen Mirren is in is automatically worth watching. But Amanda Burton is not in her league, and never will be. At least Hugh Bonneville went on to do something worth watching with Downton Abbey.

Give it a pass; it isn't worth a couple of hours of your life. Actually, it wasn't worth the time it took me to write this review.

Commander Clare Blake has become head of the serious crimes unit. Her first case involved the release of prisoner James Lampton, who served 12 years for murdering his girlfriend, a seemingly reformed character who is now writing a book.

It's worth noting that Amanda Burton pretty much took up this role straight after Silent Witness, having been on that great show for so long, this was tipped to be the next big thing, and though very, very good, it perhaps didn't quite take off as it should have. Blake is very much working in a man's world.

Burton is as always terrific as the lead, and though Blake isn't a million miles away from Sam Ryan, she's different enough, the show has a very different flavour, it has the laPlant signature all over it.

I thought it was a cracking pilot, complex, intriguing and very dramatic, it's a thought provoking, well paced drama, if you're a fan of the laPlant lineup, you'll particularly enjoy this. The ending was excellent, one of the best moments, wonderfully dramatic.

The acting throughout was terrific, High Bonneville and Matthew Marsh both stood out.

9/10.

Commander Clare Blake (Amanda Burton) is the head of the serious crimes unit in the New Scotland Yard. In 1989, she arrested James Lampton (Hugh Bonneville) for murdering his girlfriend. He is supposed to be reformed and gets paroled. She allows her forward to be printed in his best-selling book with the proceeds going to victim support. DCI Mike Hedges investigates a murder and arrests Lampton. Hedges do not get along with Blake. Meanwhile, there is a cover-up of a police shooting unbeknown to Blake. Surveillance footage is edited. Also the movie follows another criminal on the loose.

I like the idea of a female commander in a male-dominated world. Blake doesn't have the gravitas of a hard-nosed investigator that somebody in her position should have. There is one really bad turn which devalues a lot of the early work and only adds to the questionable Blake character. I have big problems with her relationship to Lampton. Also, I don't particularly like the ending. This is a solid police crime drama for two thirds and then I have problems.

Watched all the episodes on Acorn TV recently. It's certainly a series that one watches to pass the time but in the long run, it's nothing special. The acting is good, the camera work is not. There are just too many closeups of eyes, mouths, teeth etc. In the episodes where there is violence, waving the camera around and having the images go in every direction, does little to add to the scene. The editing is sometimes ridiculous as scenes are interspersed randomly with others to which they have no relevance or relationship. Makes it all very confusing and distracting for the viewer.

Each episode seems to show that the police can do very bad things but still continue to work in their very high positions. Makes one wonder about the integrity of New Scotland Yard. Overall, it's something to watch but just veray average, and nothing to rave about at all!

Moments of intensity followed by gross abuse of the viewer by having the Commander of an elite police unit fall under the spell of a convicted murderer. WOULD NOT EVER HAPPEN, NOT EVER, NOT IN THIS UNIVERSE !!! I will be writing the producer as well. They should watch good murder mysteries and then at least copy them !